Marc Lamont Hill is tired of the nepo baby argument and has called the critics hypocrites.
The Big Picture
- Nepotism in Hollywood is common and has been happening for years, with famous parents often helping their kids get roles.
- People’s anger over nepotism is selective, as many use connections to benefit their children in various areas like education.
- Some successful celebrities argue that they still had to work hard for their success despite receiving opportunities due to nepotism.
Kim Kardashian‘s daughter, North West, has been receiving backlash due to her performance of The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl, as one of the main arguments was that she got the role due to nepotism. However, there were a handful of people who defended Kim Kardashian’s daughter, including journalist, Marc Lamont Hill, who claimed that what just happened is normal and that critics are “hypocrites” when it comes to their argument about the reality star’s daughter.
According to TMZ, Hill agreed with the sentiment that West got the role due to nepotism and it was blatantly obvious when the casting for the 30th Anniversary concert event was announced. However, he claimed that this is normal in showbiz and is has been going on for many years. An example of this is the recent casting of Beyoncé‘s daughter for the upcoming Mufasa movie.
“In every movie, every play, every domain of pop culture, somebody casts somebody who’s not that good or who’s maybe as good as everybody else but not extraordinary...” said Hill. “My point is just to say we put rappers in movies for the last 30 years… And the reason we do it is because people are famous and famous people bring in tickets.”
Hill also pointed out that nepotism doesn’t affect celebrities, it also affects everyone. He addressed legacy admissions for universities and how people were, and still are taking advantage of their parents’ alumni status just to get a leg up in their education. The journalist argued that people are only mad because it’s a Kardashian who has those connections.
“Everybody wants their kid to get the hookup. But then they get mad when it’s a Kardashian or West getting the hookup. Get over yourselves!” Hill argued. “I mean, like every single person in America uses the network they have to give their kids something that they otherwise might not get.”
Before North’s Lion King debut, she appeared in a handful of music videos. One of them was Kanye’s 2019 song ‘Close on Sunday.’ So far, West has only one acting credit to her name, where he played Mini in 2023’s PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie.
The Kardashians
Follow the Kardashian family as they celebrate new ventures and navigate through their new normal: motherhood, relationships, and career goals.
- Release Date
- October 14, 2007
- Cast
- Khloe Kardashian , Kim Kardashian , Kourtney Kardashian , Kris Jenner
- Main Genre
- Reality TV
- Seasons
- 5
Nepotism In Hollywood Is Nothing New
It’s no secret that Hollywood is rampant with actors and actresses who had an easy start in their careers due to nepotism. An example is Johnny Depp‘s daughter, Lily-Rose Depp, who only had 14 acting credits before starring in HBO’s The Idol. Another is Marvel’s Elizabeth Olsen, who is the younger sister of the Olsen Twins, and only had 10 acting credits before landing the role of Wanda Maximoff.
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The inside look will do an in-depth deep dive into how the divisive family of moguls came to be internationally known stars.
While the term may have come with negative connotations, some celebrities have argued that they still had to work for their success. One of them is Oscar-winning actress, Jamie Lee Curtis. The Everything, Everywhere, All At Once star posted on Instagram, stating the term ‘Nepo baby’ “diminishes and denigrates and hurts,” that she’s constantly reminded throughout her entire career that she’s “the daughter of movie stars,” and her work has no value.
The Kardashians airs new episodes every Thursday on Hulu.
This article was originally published on collider.com